Chicago-TUESDAY APRIL 24th Lama Dawa will be available for some private mirror divination appointments. Sessions are limited to three questions or 30 minutes, whichever comes first. The recommended donation is $40 for a session. For more information on mirror divinations and structuring divination questions, please refer to http://www.lamadawa.com/divinations.html appointments will be scheduled on first-come basis, so to reserve a time, please contact me at tseltz007@aol.com

Interesting! I would have thought a teacher with siddhi's and touched by the divine would not be mercenary and charge a fee. I would think any real power would make one humble and just reach out to the poor, deluded seekers.

greentara wrote:Interesting! I would have thought a teacher with siddhi's and touched by the divine would not be mercenary and charge a fee. I would think any real power would make one humble and just reach out to the poor, deluded seekers.

That's my teacher! Greentara - I fail to see the mercenary part. Divinations take time, if anyone wants one, there used to be such a thing as going and asking and giving an offering to the teacher. And the teacher wouldn't necessarily give one anyway. Readings by their nature are not exactly just like, "hey do me my reading" ... The "fee" is simply a donation. If one doesn't want to give a donation, no one is forcing them to seek a divination. How is being adept at something spiritual change the fact that even Lama Dawa has to eat and support a multi-country sangha. He's using what he's got to help practitioners, others sell books. No one is calling them mercenaries for selling other services, like astronomical retreat prices, books, products from altar items to funding prayers (which you also have to donate for if you want for example done on your behalf) etc to help support their own sanghas. I think the term mercenary is kind of misleading... it's a service. And not one everyone offers it. Not every deluded seeker even finds merit in a divination.

Lama Dawa also supports sanghas down here in Mexico and in Nepal which I guarantee are not wealthy, so whatever donations come in have no different path than those of any other teacher charging for this and that. Perhaps you over-idealize the practical application of spiritual matters with the necessary need to live in a worldly matrix...? He's not exactly going and 'getting rich' off of divination donations... I don't know if you've ever met Lama Dawa, but his humility is actually quite stunning... it permeates his presence. Hard to describe in an online post to people who may not even know who he is..

"To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never, to forget." –Arundhati Roy

Sorry I don't know much about Lama Dawa. It was a critique of teachers in general that charge entry, sometimes hefty entry fees and become business men instead of spiritual guides.'Merchants go when truth appearsfor the truth needs no merchanting.Behold thy temple cleared of merchants'

As far as I can remember doing divinations and fortune telling, or asking for money, is against the rules made by the Buddha for monks and nuns.

Leave the polluted water of conceptual thoughts in its natural clarity. Without affirming or denying appearances, leave them as they are. When there is neither acceptance nor rejection, mind is liberated into mahāmudra.

As far as I can remember doing divinations and fortune telling, or asking for money, is against the rules made by the Buddha for monks and nuns.

Maybe he would do better standing on the highway waiting for a truck to stop and put food in his bowl or give him some rags to wear?

Times change, and so do media of communication. These days a lama can reach out to millions and also invite thousands for teachings in person. Even holding a class in a room costs money - or maybe you think Buddhists in Alaska should pretend they are in India and sit outside in suzero temperaures with their rags and offering bowls? You also perhaps forget that many lamas are not teaching in countries with a Buddhist culture, so people in general have no expectation of feeding and clothing monks.

There is a huge difference between charging a fee for teaching Dharma and charging a fee to cover the costs of renting or buying a building, heating, lighting, etc etc.

I believe Lama Dawa is a Nyingma Ngagpa - a type of lama whose ordination adheres to the vinaya but is permitted be non-celibate, to marry and be a householder etc.

You are also on a Mahayana forum, where many Buddhas are believed to have given teachings.

Maybe he would do better standing on the highway waiting for a truck to stop and put food in his bowl or give him some rags to wear?

Hi Blue Garunda,

I asked a question and I am surprised by your sarcastic reply. Is there really any need for that ?

You are also on a Mahayana forum, where many Buddhas are believed to have given teachings.

Yes I am aware of that and I find your attitude puzzling and less than welcoming. Perhaps I should look for a Mahayana forum where more compassion is shown towards me.

Last edited by Berry on Sun Apr 15, 2012 9:32 am, edited 1 time in total.

Leave the polluted water of conceptual thoughts in its natural clarity. Without affirming or denying appearances, leave them as they are. When there is neither acceptance nor rejection, mind is liberated into mahāmudra.

Leave the polluted water of conceptual thoughts in its natural clarity. Without affirming or denying appearances, leave them as they are. When there is neither acceptance nor rejection, mind is liberated into mahāmudra.